\n The latest \u2018Good Growth\u2019 spending package from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) included support for plans for a \u00a3240m Hulton Park golf resort, near Westhoughton, to host the 2035 Ryder Cup \u2013 one of the world\u2019s biggest sporting events.\n<\/p>\n
\n Peel Land acquired the sprawling 608\u2011acre parkland estate, once home to Hulton Hall and owned by the Hulton family, in 2010. It has existing planning permission for the golf resort and more than 1,000 new homes on mainly green belt land at the park.\n<\/p>\n
\n Any development there, however, depends on Bolton being awarded the Ryder Cup. Should the bid succeed, the planned Hulton Park golf resort would host the biennial battle between the USA and Europe in 2035 \u2013 with estimations that it could be worth as much as \u00a31.2bn to the North West region\u2019s economy.\n<\/p>\n
\n But many frustrated residents claim the Ryder Cup is a \u2018white elephant\u2019 \u2013 and believe the golf resort and associated housing schemes would lead to the town\u2019s services becoming more stretched and bemoan the loss of green space.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u2018The Ryder Cup is smoke and mirrors\u2019\n<\/p>\n
\n Sandra Hesketh, 78, lives on Manchester Road overlooking the Hulton estate, the land earmarked for the Ryder Cup development. A giant orange sign opposing the estate\u2019s development sits at the side of her front garden, visible to the thousands of motorists a day passing on the A6.\n<\/p>\n
\n She was a founding member of Hulton Estate Area Residents Together (HEART) around 10 years ago.\n<\/p>\n
\n Sandra Hesketh, whose home overlooks Hulton Park, the potential Ryder Cup site (Image: LDRS)\n<\/p>\n
\n She said: \u201cI just think the Ryder Cup is a white elephant. They got that piece of land for a song and I believe they\u2019re only interested in building executive houses \u2013 not affordable homes that people need in Bolton.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cThey want to build on the fields and how did they persuade the council? They said, \u2018let\u2019s bring a big sporting event to Bolton\u2019. I think it\u2019s smoke and mirrors.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cThere\u2019s never been a Ryder Cup given to an unbuilt golf course. It would be a mammoth build in the time they have and don\u2019t forget it\u2019s a flood plain.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Jackie Roberts, who lives near the centre of Westhoughton, is also a supporter of HEART. She believes the golf tournament is a \u2018ruse\u2019 to give a pathway to other development.\n<\/p>\n
\n Jackie Roberts from Westhoughton (Image: LDRS)\n<\/p>\n
\n She said: \u201cSo it\u2019s big news that Bolton is bidding for the Ryder Cup on green belt farmland in an area of Westhoughton and Atherton that is already swamped with new houses and traffic. This is what this bid is all about.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cI think Peel want to build more houses on that land and the Ryder Cup and the necessary golf course is the ruse. The local council turned down the planning and it was only granted on appeal, so where is the local democracy?\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Announcement included transport funds\n<\/p>\n
\n The \u2018Good Growth\u2019 funding also included \u00a369.8m for the Park Avenue link road west of Bolton, the first phase of the wider 18\u2011kilometre M61\u2013M6 Northfold east\u2011west link road from Bolton to Wigan, which would cut congestion through Westhoughton and help service the golf resort. The funding also included active\u2011travel routes and bus infrastructure to support major mixed\u2011use development.\n<\/p>\n
\n It is claimed that that section of road would ease persistent road congestion, particularly at the Chequerbent roundabout, close to the M61.\n<\/p>\n
\n The notoriously congested Chequerbent roundabout (Image: LDRS)\n<\/p>\n
\n The associated Lee Hall development, which would mean Park Avenue would be built, consists of 1,450 homes. Peel Land said that project, for which planning permission is still pending, would lead to a major new park in Westhoughton, community facilities, a care home and school, plus allotments.\n<\/p>\n
\n GMCA said the latest road investment would \u2018unlock\u2019 4,000 new homes, 25,000 sqm of employment space and 1,250 full\u2011time equivalent jobs.\n<\/p>\n
\n Mark Phillipson, 55, from nearby Atherton, was in the area working.\n<\/p>\n
\n He said: \u201cIt\u2019s difficult. I\u2019m not against investment in roads and new homes, creating growth as such, but what is key is the sequencing.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cI think it\u2019s essential that the infrastructure \u2013 schools, health centres, nurseries and sports facilities \u2013 come before the houses. Otherwise things get much worse before they get better.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Council bosses say they have put forward \u2018a serious plan to tackle the persistent traffic problems in Westhoughton\u2019.\n<\/p>\n
\n Bolton council leader Nick Peel said: \u201cThis major investment in the Park Avenue link road will not only ease that congestion but also unlock growth and create jobs at this key strategic location. Greater Manchester\u2019s backing for our Ryder Cup bid at nearby Hulton Park is further evidence of Bolton\u2019s growing reputation as a host of world\u2011class events.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n But Westhoughton resident John Roberts said the link road was already needed, before any additional homes were built.\n<\/p>\n
\n John Roberts believes there is not enough infrastructure (Image: LDRS)\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cThe new link road in itself is probably a desirable thing but it depends on the route and what it affects,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cWesthoughton is rammed with traffic now. The road is needed now, irrespective of any more housing.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n What Peel has said\n<\/p>\n
\n This week, Peel Land responded to the \u2018Good Growth\u2019 announcement on road investment.\n<\/p>\n
\n Stephen Wild, managing director at Peel Land Group, said: \u201cThe much\u2011welcomed funding announcement for the Park Avenue link road is crucial in addressing the long\u2011term issue of congestion in the area for local communities.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cIt\u2019s also pivotal to unlocking ambitions for the Northfold growth corridor, including the Hulton Park Ryder Cup opportunity, alongside the Lee Hall project, where we can potentially deliver 1,400 much\u2011needed homes as well as new employment space and community infrastructure.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cThe green light for the Wigan\u2013Hindley link road gives a further much\u2011needed boost to the infrastructure supporting our collective ambitions for Northfold, which will bring new homes, jobs and leisure opportunities for Wigan and Bolton.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n A relief road for Westhoughton has received funding (Image: LDRS)\n<\/p>\n
\n Speaking last month, Andy Burnham said: \u201cWe\u2019ve had promising conversations with organisers about bringing the tournament to a bespoke, world\u2011class course at Hulton Park.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cBut it will only be possible with the right infrastructure. We\u2019re doing our bit to make it happen. We\u2019re committing up to \u00a370 million to deliver a transport package to not only help spectators get to the site but deliver major benefits for the people living in the surrounding areas.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cAs well as the new jobs and tourist spend the Ryder Cup would deliver, there\u2019s also a chance to deliver a lasting legacy. We want to work with Government to align transport investment to the tournament \u2013 delivering more frequent and modern trains on the Atherton line, investing in better rail stations and speeding up work to connect the area to the Metrolink network.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The latest \u2018Good Growth\u2019 spending package from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) included support for plans for…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":517334,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[5904,101,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-517333","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-golf","tag-golf","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517333","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=517333"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517333\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/517334"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=517333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=517333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=517333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}